We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Gorse Bank, a well equipped house in a quiet position on the edge of Broughton-in-Furness. It's away from the melee of tourist hot-spots like Ambleside, but plenty close enough to the southern lakes and hills. However we did find that travel times were longer than we're used to, as all the roads (including A roads) are like roller-coasters, very steep and twisting!
Broughton itself has a few nice shops for the essentials, plus three pubs. We'd highly recommend The King's Head for food, with a good choice and a children's menu too. As of 2016, there aren't any take-aways in the town.